1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical connector for an endoscope which optically couples a first waveguide provided in a connector of the endoscope to a second waveguide provided in a plug of a light source device to which the connector is connected.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical connector which optically couples optical fibers to each other is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 3825930. This optical connector is a single-core connector type. In the optical connector, the ends of the optical fibers are exposed in a normal state, and the ends can be replaced when the ends are damaged.
Each optical connector has an original ferrule of a body portion holding one optical fiber, and a replacement ferrule holding the other optical fiber. The body portion has a spring which presses the original ferrule. The optical connectors are optically connected to each other by an adaptor holding a sleeve therein.
When one optical connector is disconnected from the other optical connector, a flange of the replacement ferrule bumps into the exterior of one optical connector, and the original ferrule is pressed to the replacement ferrule by the spring. As a result, a press force is applied to the original ferrule and the replacement ferrule to press each other, and a press force is applied to an end face of one optical fiber and an end face of the other optical fiber to press each other. This also holds true with the other optical connector side.
When one optical connector is connected to the other optical connector, the replacement ferrule of one optical connector bumps into the replacement ferrule of the other connector inside the sleeve. In this instance, in one optical connector, the original ferrule is provided coaxially with the replacement ferrule. The original ferrule is then pressed to the replacement ferrule by the spring. As a result, a press force is applied to the original ferrule and the replacement ferrule to press each other, and a press force is applied to the end face of one optical fiber and the end face of the other optical fiber to press each other. This also holds true with the other connector side. In one optical fiber and the other optical fiber, the replacement ferrules press each other by the spring via the original ferrule. Therefore, the optical fiber in one replacement ferrule and the optical fiber in the other replacement ferrule are directly optically coupled to each other.
According to the configuration described above, a press force is always maintained between the original ferrule and the replacement ferrule during the shift from the disconnection state to the connection state of one optical fiber and the other optical fiber.